


A Light that Transcends

by BlueJayTaco



Series: The Darkness that Binds Us [2]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dysfunctional Family, Growing Up, Kinda, M/M, Married Couple, Occult, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Child Abuse, Past Lives, Reincarnation, Revenge, Second Chances, Sennen Items | Millennium Items, Sequel, Slice of Life, That turns into major plot stuff, hints at ships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2019-06-16 15:02:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15439683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueJayTaco/pseuds/BlueJayTaco
Summary: Time will pass and wounds will heal. Some might just take a little longer than others. A three-thousand-year-old grudge can’t be expected to disappear overnight. The same could be said for a promise of utopia that was later ripped away. Forgiveness is rarely an easy path.





	1. Recanted

**Author's Note:**

> STOP!  
> If you haven't noticed already, this is a Part Two. If you didn't read The Darkness that Binds Us, this won't make much sense. So do that thing!  
> Everyone else: I hope you enjoy! This is becoming a series that won't leave me be...

He knew the moment the Pharaoh moved on into the afterlife and couldn't be more excited about the realization. After all, he was paving the way for something great. The perfect world; with peace and harmony. No longer would there be hunger and poverty. No longer would the corrupt raised to power and destroy the lives of the less fortunate. No longer would there be an unjust world. He just needed to place aside his own anger and realize that even a single drop of hatred in his own mind could bring about undesirable consequences.

The plan was put forth to make the perfect world. He just needed a little discipline of self to make sure not a drop of darkness entered the Plana.

Easier said than done. So many times, he found himself hovering over the young man who murdered his master in cold blood. He looked at him with disdain and hatred. How could he bear to live with himself? How did such an evil creature continue to exist?

More often than not someone would follow him and remind him of the power of the Ring. The power that the Pharoah had awoken in order to protect everyone against. The boy was only a vessel; just as much of a victim as anyone else. Even if it was by his hands, the blood was only on the monster. Not the boy. Never the boy.

He had to remind himself of that. Some days were much more difficult than others.

It felt like forever but the rage in him slowly disappeared. Three years of this back and forth before it finally happened. He had come to terms and began to learn how to let go.

Then....

The power of the Plana faded without any warning. They all knew what it meant. Their Master had told them many times before. The Pharaoh returned. The reason? He didn't know until searching out the Pharaoh years later and seeing him from afar.

What he saw was not the answer he wanted. It was not to take out anyone evil. Not to return balance to a corrupt world. Not to negate an improper use of the items.

It was something much too minuscule. To return to the arms of the one who freed him in the first place.

That hatred that he thought was gone became a rage he couldn't describe, this time for the savior himself. It wasn't fair! He was supposed to be _dead_! They were supposed to have Utopia! How dare he take that away with his own selfish desires!

There had to be a way to return the Plana.

And Diva had an idea on how. It started when he returned to the Pharaoh's tomb and found a pit where the items once hid. It was surprisingly easy to find them.

It didn't matter. He only cared about one.

Well, that was until another one began to call out to him. Its cry was full of rage and pain. It snapped and broke a little in the fall. The dark magic that was once kept within seemed to have faded quite a bit. But the message it sent was still as clear as day.

They needed to start over. For the sake of the world. For the Plana to finally exist at its highest potential. It would take some time. He needed to be very patient. But he would have everything he needed.

Nothing and no one would stand in his way.

 


	2. Dreams from Yesterday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are! Two chapters? It must be someone's birthday!  
> ....  
> (cough)

 

“Didn't you hear? The Pharaoh has fallen ill. This may be his time to leave behind his mortal form.”

“But to leave now? Is the prince truly ready to step in? I heard his mind is filled with the most childish of games. He doesn't attend to the affairs of Egypt.”

Her dreams were always so beautifully detailed. Like a memory from another time, the details never truly change. Although, when it came to dreams of ancient times, she felt different. She felt tense and angry.

Her hands were dirty and calloused. Her hair was short and pale. She was not a _she_.

“We must trust in the will of the gods.”

She let out a barking laugh at the statement and the two speaking turned and looked at her. When she noticed them staring at her, she felt her lips smirk. “Oh no, please continue. Go on about how we mere mortals will be protected by beings who clearly don't care about us.”

It was a rude thing to say. She said so to herself.

In response, she told herself to shut up.

The dream continued with her yelling about the world being worthless. About the way the game is rigged. The way the people who sit up in that palace care nothing about the people on the streets building their structures and growing their food.

They were lambs for the slaughter.

“Literally.”

It was here the memory would distort. She would then find herself in a nightmare where she was separated from this ancient her. When she saw her ancient self, she wasn't surprised to see an angry man stare back at her. She felt his rage. She felt his sorrow.

It was all hers as well.

It morphed into a form on its own. A dark demon with large fangs and glowing eyes. It opened its maw and demanded a sacrifice of blood. Something to ease the rage in her soul.

She refused it.

“ _ **You dare tell me no? Mortal child, do you know with whom you are dealing?**_ ” It morphed into a face she knew well and it made her blood run cold.

“Alab.”

Her biological father glared at her and moved closer. “You shouldn't exist. It was a mistake to let you come into this world.” He reached out and grabbed her by the neck. “She's _dead_ because of _you_!”

Hibbah couldn't move. The hand crushed her throat. She wanted to cry out for help.

Something slammed down and forced her father away. She fell to the ground and looked up, shaken by the giant shadow overhead. It had three glowing eyes and its hands kept near her possessively.

“You will not touch her!” The shadow had a booming voice that echoed. It scared her in both its volume and its familiarity.

She curled up underneath it and prayed for all of it to go away.

“Hibbah?” The ancient her knelt by her side.

She wanted him to go away.

“Hibbah..” His voice was changing pitch. Less rasp than before. He was starting to sound like...

“Hibbah.”

A hand on her shoulder gently shook her awake.

She woke up with a start and her eyes fell onto Otousan. He smiled gently at her from his kneeling position near the couch. When did he get home? “Maybe you'd be more comfortable in your own bed.”

She didn't even realize she had fallen asleep. The TV was still droning on in the background but her focus stayed on her father.

She was safe here. She was safe with him. He would never hurt her like Alab.

The image reappeared in her head and tears built.

The smile faded in confusion and Otousan looked at her in concern.

She threw her arms around him before he could say anything.

His arms wrapped around her. “Bad dream?”

She nodded.

“You wanna talk about it?”

“I...” she pulled back. “It was alab and...” She felt herself pause when she thought about bringing up the beginning of the dream. The ancient form seemed like it should stay a secret.

But Otousan didn't ask her to elaborate. He just sat down next to her, his eyes filled to the brim with empathy and compassion. “Hibbah, what you went through was an experience anyone would have trouble processing alone. If there's anything about this that you think you'd want to talk about, we're always here.”

She looked at Yugi with his eyes full of care. He was so gentle and so kind. One would think he was naïve but that wasn't it. He just... chose to see the world for what it could be.

He chose to see them all for how they could be.

Hibbah's eyes started to water and, before she knew it, she was sobbing. She gripped her knees and sniffled. “O-Otousan... I... I killed m-my alab...” A hiccup came from her mouth. “A-and 'umi... If it wasn't for m-me... sh-she-she wo-uld...”

Something told her Otousan was waiting for this moment. As soon as she mentioned the death of her mother, his arms were around her. It didn't take much to coax her into his chest. She knew by the time he let go, his shirt would be soaked in the remnants of her crying.

He didn't care. He just let her sob and whispered kind words. Her cries bordered on painful as she shed tears long overdue.

Only when she began to calm a little did he truly speak. “Hibbah, you are not at fault for anything that happened.”

She wanted to believe him. She wanted that more than anything. But... “Nobody wanted me... because of w-what I did...”

“You can't know that. And even if that were the case, it's their loss.”

She sucked in a shaky breath. “Y-ou're supposed to say that...”

“It doesn't make it any less true.”

She let out a small laugh and pulled away from him. He let go and watched as she wiped at her face with her sleeve.

“Otousan... Why did you and Atem adopt me? There were so many other kids, why me?” Was it really because of the comment she made on a fight that happened before she was born? Was it because she showed an interest in gaming?

Or maybe they just felt sorry for her. She was the only kid who the other kids avoided, after all.

He stared at her for a moment as if he were thinking about the best way to say what was on his mind. It took him a while to piece it together but when he did, he said it with a smile. “You're special, Hibbah. And you belong here. We both felt like you were just... a piece of the puzzle.”

Was there ever a time Otousan didn't link something back to games? It would seem not. She looked away. “...even though you know what happened...?”

“Yeah.”

She looked back at him. “... some kids said you and Atem would become my next victims.”

The smile disappeared. She could see anger flash in his eyes but it was never to be released. The people it was for would never be seen again. “And what do you think about me and Atem?”

Hibbah looked down at her hands again. They were so small. Not at all like the dream her. Not like the her that was full of an ancient rage for the boy pharaoh. The boy pharaoh she's seen in another dream who looked like....

She shrugged. “What if... something happens because of me? I don't... want to hurt you. But what if I'm cursed? What if I don't have a choice?”

“Then we'll find a way to break it. Do you think Ryo doesn't know a way to stop something like that?”

Hibbah wasn't sure if she was supposed to take that as a joke but she let out a small laugh anyway. Even if she didn't know exactly what he meant, she knew Otousan would always be there for her.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters won't typically be this rapid-fire. This was just to get the ball rolling a bit after the few months without these particular versions of these characters.


	3. Treating an illness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of the update lag for this series is going to be because I'm figuring out the order of events. I'm sorry in advance for that.

It wasn't often Atem got sick. Maybe, when the weather would change, he would get a little head cold but he barely ever acknowledged it as such, only putting on a mask by insistence from Otousan. Most of the time, he stayed healthy.

When he did get sick it usually left him without the ability to get up. If he did, he would be overcome with the feeling as if he would vomit. On those rare days, there was a look of panic hidden just behind Otousan's eyes. Hibbah had figured out how to translate the looks her father gave pretty well.

On days Atem was bedridden with a virus, Otousan looked at him like he was afraid death lurked right at the corner.

“...I feel as though I'm on fire...”

Hibbah glanced in their room to see the lump of person curled in on himself while Otousan touched a hand to his forehead. “The fever hasn't broken yet. Stay under the covers.”

“So hot...”

“I know. I'll get you water.” Otousan caressed Atem's cheek. “And we really should get some food in you too. Do you think you could stomach anything?”

The lump didn't move for a second as he considered it but then Hibbah could hear the sound of back and forth movement across the fabric.

By Otousan't grimace, it was a 'no.' “We can start with water then.” He pushed himself up and headed out the door.

Hibbah ducked into the bathroom to avoid being seen. Even after a few months of living with them, she didn't know if she liked them seeing her witness their interactions. Some of them seemed rather intimate even for a married couple.

Although, she didn't have much experience to make that comparison. Maybe this was normal.

She peeked back out as Otousan strode down the hall and downstairs. She then turned back to the room where Atem had curled up tighter. He really looked like a pathetic lump.

 _Hey, I bet we could make him feel better._ The voice had kept pretty quiet in most of her interactions with Atem and Otousan. Every once in a while it would speak up with advice for how to keep safe around them.

She still had no reason not to trust it.

_We just need a few things._

Hibbah nodded to no one and ran back to her room as images moved through her mind. It seemed silly to think such simple things would get Atem all better.

It only took a few minutes. But it was effective.

By the time Otousan was walking back up the stairs, Atem was walking down. His still sickly skin was ghostly white and his eyes were wide and constricted. She heard Otousan's voice ask “What're you doing out of bed?”

“I feel fine! Nicenhealthy!” Atem's voice cracked and was a pitch higher than normal.

Seconds later, Otousan peeked into their room to see what cured his husband. He took in the sight of Hibbah kneeling on the bed with a makeshift scale sitting on the covers, a feather in one of the little cups, and a large knife in her hand.

“...Where did you get that knife?”

“The kitchen.”

Otousan frowned at her. “I... didn't see you come downstairs.”

Hibbah just stared back calmly. “I keep it in my room. It's my room knife.”

Otousan looked at a loss for words. No parenting advice in the world could have possibly prepared him for that answer.

 

 


	4. Proper Babysitting Protocol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a while since I updated anything, I know. But everything's getting back on track!

“Are you sure you're up to this? We don't have to go-”

“If you don't go out just the two of you, I'm pretty sure Yugi will murder you in your sleep. It's just a couple of days. I've handled nights a lot worse than anything she could cook up.”

Atem pursed his lips and grunted. “I wouldn't be so sure.”

“Honestly, I'm more worried about Ryo trying to summon something in our living room.” Yugi trotted down the stairs and tossed Atem a small bag before looking at his friend. “Seriously, please don't try summoning something in our living room?”

Ryo smiled. “I wouldn't dream of it.”

“And don't let Hibbah convince you to do it.” Atem eyed Ryo.

The smile widened. “What do you take me for?”

Atem looked at Ryo flatly.

Ryo waved him off. “Just go. Have a good time! I'll be able to control her; don't worry.”

The gaze lightened just a fraction as Yugi called back up the stairs. “Hibbah! We're leaving!”

It took a few seconds but the girl stepped out of her room and bounded down the stairs. She smiled at Yugi and jumped into his arms. “Bye, Otousan! Bring me back something cool!”

Yugi chuckled. “You know it.” When he released his daughter, he eyed his husband.

Atem and Hibbah stared at each other for a tense moment. Both of them looked as though they were lost on the proper way to say goodbye.

Atem spoke first. “Behave.”

Hibbah smirked. “You too.”

Yugi sighed and looked at both of them dejectedly. He then turned back to Ryo. “We should be off. We'll see you both in a couple of days.” He grabbed hold of Atem's arm and dragged the other out of the house with one last goodbye.

Hibbah stuck her tongue out at Atem as the door shut behind them, letting it be the last thing he saw before he left.

After they were through the door and in the car, Yugi spoke up. “They'll be fine.”

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”

“Can't it be both?”

-

Honda read the texts again. Usually, both the Mutous were very good at communicating with each other. If there was a problem, they would both be able to solve it just by passing it back and forth. Anything from a game puzzle to a world-ending conflict. It was always the basis of their group.

But there were times they kept secrets. Minuscule things mostly, like surprises and presents. But then Hibbah came along and it became about protecting the sanity of one another. And, while they were still on the same wavelength, they clearly had no idea what the other was doing.

The texts were almost identical. “Please check in on Ryo and Hibbah. Also, please don't tell Atem/Yugi I came to you. Thank you, I owe you one.”

It wasn't the first time he was sent in to check on someone. Being one of the most level headed of his friends granted him such perks but it came with a hefty responsibility. He and Anzu often had tea dates to trade stories about it. Last week, she was on Jounouchi duty. This was shaping up to be an easier time than trying to talk Jou down from doing something that could land him in jail.

He opened the door to the game shop. He didn't even get the opportunity to walk into the actual house. There, on the floor of the shop, was a giant casting symbol he'd seen before in occult books Ryo showed him. In the middle of it, Ryo laid on his back and had little Hibbah on his stomach. She had a knife in both hands, posed as if to slam it right down on the man's face.

It took every ounce of will to stop Honda from roundhouse kicking the child off Ryo. And it must've been apparent on his face.

“This isn't at all what it looks like!” Ryo blurted out.

“Otousan said not in the living room!” Hibbah was quick to follow up.

“I get it.” Honda didn't get it. At all. He pulled his phone back out of his pocket and sent out two identical texts.

'Just checked in. Everything's fine.'

He decided maybe it was best if he stuck around for a bit. Just to make sure everything stayed 'fine.'

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The moment you don't see:  
> Atem sent a text back. 'You're lying to me!!!!!'  
> 'To make you feel better.'  
> 'Thank you!!!!!!!'  
> (Why yes, that is a Steven Universe reference! I'm glad you noticed!)


End file.
